Women's Missionary Association: Home

Committee minutes, home correspondence, annual reports, papers concerning relations with the FMC and papers relating to the history of the WMA. Also, Girls' Auxiliary corresponfdence and minutes and papers relating to Carey Hall United Training College for Women. Printed materials.

The Women's Missionary Association of the Presbyterian Church of England was inaugurated in December 1878 during a meeting held in Queen's Square London. Mrs Hugh Matheson, whose husband was Convenor of the Foreign Missions Committee, became first President with Mrs James E. Mathieson as Secretary. Branches of the WMA were formed in a number of the Presbyteries of the Church. Annual meetings were held presided over, at first, by men. From 1893 meetings were conducted by women members of the WMA. The WMA functioned as a separate unit until 1925 when a Union between the FMC and the WMA was ratified. A Joint Advisory Committee subsequently dealt with matters relating to the Mission field while WMA retained separate control of its fundraising and training programmes. A training college for women candidates of the PCE, the Baptist Missionary Society and the London Missionary Society was opened at Carey Hall in 1912.

Presidents of the Association 1878 - 1939:

Mrs Hugh M. Matheson 1878-1900; Mrs James E. Mathieson 1900-1908; Mrs Thomas Bell 1908-1926; Miss Jane Craig 1926-1933 who had previously been Secretary; Mrs Moore Ferguson 1933 - 1939.

A Girls' Auxiliary was formed in 1902. This became affiliated to the Welfare of Youth Committee in 1931.

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